An important aspect of the present invention is the development of an unstructured protein product into a structured protein product. Particularly, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a product and method for taking an unstructurized protein product with no visible grain or texture and converting it into a structurized, protein product with a definite shape having the consistency of cooked muscle meat.
The term “structure” describes a wide variety of physical properties of a food product. A product of acceptable structure is usually synonymous with the quality of a product. Structure has been defined as “the attribute of a substance resulting from a combination of physical properties and perceived by senses of touch, including kinethesia and mouth feel, sight, and hearing. Structure, as defined by the International Organization of Standardization, is “all of the rheological and structural (geometric and surface) attributes of a food product perceptible by means of mechanical, tactual and, where appropriate, visual and auditory receptors.” The following terms have been used to describe product characteristics falling under the umbrella “structure”:
TABLE IABRIDGED LIST OF FOODSTRUCTURE ADJECTIVESAdhesiveBouncyBrittleBubblyChewyClingyCoatingCohesiveCreamyCrispCrumblyCrustyDenseDoughyDryElasticFattyFirmFlakyFleshyFluffyFoamyFragileFull-bodiedGooeyGrainyGrittyGummyHardHeavyHeterogeneousJuicyLeanLightLimpLumpyMoistMouth coatingMushyOilyPastyPlasticPorousPowderyPuffyPulpyRichRoughRubberyRunnySandyScratchyShortSilkySlipperySliverySmoothSoftSoggySparklySplinterySpongySpringyStickyStringySyrupyTenderThickThinTinglyToughUniformViscousWateryWaxyWiggly
Accelerated attention has been given to structure as it pertains to newer food substances including fabricated and imitation products, formed meat and fish products, where very serious efforts are made by processes to duplicate the properties of the original or other natural food substances. The use of non-traditional raw materials, synthetic flavors, fillers, stretchers, and extenders all tend to alter certain textural characteristics of the finished product. Frequently, the imitation of textural properties is of much greater difficulty in the replication of taste, odors, and colors. Numerous manipulative processes, including extrusion structurization, have been developed to simulate natural structural properties. The processes generally find it prudent to duplicate the properties of the original substances to the extent feasible technically and economically in order to promote early market acceptance. While structure has attributes related to appearance, it also has attributes related to touch and also mouth feel or interaction of food when it comes in contact with the mouth. Frequently, these sensory perceptions involved with chewing can relate to impressions of either desirability or undesirability.
Thus, structural terms include terms relating to the behavior of the material under stress or strain and include, for example, the following: firm, hard, soft, tough, tender, chewy, rubbery, elastic, plastic, sticky, adhesive, tacky, crispy, crunchy, etc. Secondly, structure terms may be related to the structure of the material: smooth, fine, powdery, chalky, lumpy, mealy, coarse, gritty, etc. Third, structure terms may relate to the shape and arrangement of structural elements, such as: flaky, fibrous, stringy, pulpy, cellular, crystalline, glassy, spongy, etc. Last, structure terms may relate to mouth feel characteristics, including: mouth feel, body, dry, moist, wet, watery, waxy, slimy, mushy, etc.
As used herein, “unstructurized” and “structurized” describe the characteristics of the food product as set forth in Table II:
TABLE IIUnstructurizedStructurizedCharacteristicCharacteristicBehavior ofstickyfirmMaterial undergooeychewyStress or StrainplasticStructure ofsmoothcoarseMaterialShape andgelatinousfibrousArrangement ofpulpycrustyStructural ElementspastyMouth FeelCreamymoistmushydrywith body